Across the Mirror
by FriendlyCurse
Summary: Things have gotten weird lately and I really need some advice. I think my friend might have actually succeeded in summoning Bloody Mary.


There are things in this world that everyone knows to be fake. Legends that have been proven to have logical sources – like the horned devil bird that turned out to be a creepy screaming owl. For the unproven ones... well, most of us just wait for someone to uncover the truth behind the tale.

However, some of the legends can't be disproven in spite of their relative simplicity. Theoretically we should be able to shut down urban legends as bunk with little or no effort. Something like the Bloody Mary tale should have been laid to rest years ago – but even Snopes has it listed as unverified but not disproven.

Evelyn, my best friend through most of childhood (and into college) was one of those logical people who eagerly sought out proof that humans had not unraveled all the mysteries of life. You would have thought she was one of those new age witches or something. She was always hanging around metaphysical shops, reading books of questionable nature and authenticity, and seeking out supposedly haunted locations.

Really, it seemed silly to me. It was about the only thing we didn't agree on. It's not that I believed in any of that stuff – more that I didn't want to have to think about it. Yeah, I'm one of those people.

Even though I didn't agree with her, I tried to be a good friend and listened to her babbling about possible finds as she went on and on for hours – then listened to her dejected moping when she uncovered the truth. This pattern lasted from the seventh grade until our first year in college. I moved to the dorms but she stayed with her parents to save money. It was no surprise when the phone rang for the third time that day and her laughter sounded on the other end of the line.

"I'm going to do it this time." She giggled. The faint slurring when she said 'this' spoke volumes. Her parents must have been out – that meant she was getting into her mothers' hidden stash of vodka again.

"So? Do it." I shook my head and smiled. She had some new plot and there would be no stopping her. "What is it this time?"

"Now... why use that tone? That tone like I'm going to do something crazy or something..." When her giggling died down she continued in her usual, cheerful manner. "At my eleventh birthday party you dared me to play Bloody Mary... and I chickened out. But I'm gonna do it tonight."

"Oh, you have got to be kidding..." I groaned. "Seriously? A kids game? Where is your serious, professional research?"

"How do you figure it's for kids?!" She asked, indignant at the insinuation. "Summoning an other-worldly woman through a mirror is hardly family entertainment."

"Okay, okay... but please tell me there is some supposed benefit to this and you aren't just looking to get scratched up by a ghost."

"Possibility of getting any question answered... and she may just appear and not try to kill me. Hard to say with all the variations I've read."

Evelyn hurried to hang up after that as if I would try to talk her out of it, she promised to call me in the morning and let me know how it went. I figured she would be drunk dialing in an hour.

Not giving it a second thought, I finished my essay for my English class and went to bed. She wasn't in class the next morning – my logical assumption was that she was probably hungover and decided to sleep in. Wouldn't be the first time.

Once I got around to calling she sounded tired and distracted. This piqued my interest since she only acts like that when she has been up all night researching and taking notes. Something must have happened after all – but she just said she would tell me about it later and wanted to get back to writing before she lost her train of thought. That was when I started to worry. Usually she uses me as a sounding board, telling me her craziest ideas so I can help her find the flaws. She never cuts me off like that.

Hoping she would finish soon, I tried to focus on my own studies. The day dragged on since I was checking the clock every few minutes. I just couldn't shake how weird that was and kept remembering how excited she was to call back about the ritual but didn't. So apparently something happened – but what could get her to act like this? A loss of objective perspective? Did she actually see a face?

Out of the question that she had actually been attacked, of course. Influenced by the atmosphere and alcohol – maybe. I hoped perhaps she was just delving a little deeper into the unreliable first-hand accounts before her next, more scientific attempt.

Playing that game drunk was a bad idea and she really should have known better. It was very unlike her to even consider something like that. These thoughts occupied my mind constantly for the next week. The day after her first call, she wouldn't answer her phone. Then she went missing. Her mother was frantic and woke me up demanding to know where I was hiding her and why.

Evelyn simply vanished. On the seventh day I got a package in the mail. Her journal. Almost a third of the pages were ripped out – the first page was from the night she called me.

* * *

October 8

So, I had this 'brilliant' idea. October 8th and I haven't chosen a costume for Halloween – unprecedented! After a couple cups of spiked Kool-aid it occurred to me that I should pick a figure from one of the urban legends to go as. It didn't take long to decide on Bloody Mary – but what does she really LOOK like?

How better to find out than to do the ritual, right? Well, after letting Sarah know what I was up to I got everything set up. I know you are supposed to do this in the dark – but there was no way I was going to turn off the night light. And to give valid reason not to be in the complete darkness, I set up my camcorder pointing at the mirror. With the light behind the camera, it worked well enough to make out my reflection.

Excuses dealt with, I started. I repeated 'Bloody Mary' three times, one spin per repetition. Nothing. I doubted it would work but since most of the first-hand accounts I've read say it takes more, I kept going. After saying her name the ninth time (3 x 3) I actually saw a face – distant. It was like she was on the other end of the house and the mirror was letting me see through the walls or something.

I panicked, of course. I'm still kicking myself. All those years of looking and the first time something even vaguely supernatural happens – I freak. I mean, sure – I've had a few drinks. Yes, it was creepy to be spinning around in the mostly-dark spouting morbid words. But to actually see something? It was probably just my brain filling in images to match my expectations.

Stupid! Stupid! Okay – I'm going to go in and get the camera. I'll be damned if I get scared of my own bathroom!

Holy hell! I just ran the video back through my computer. The face is on the screen. It's hard to see – just a faint pale spot that appears after the ninth repetition. You can't even tell it's a face in the dim light – but it is definitely something that wasn't there before. What else could it be?

Evelyn – get a grip on yourself. I've got to look in to this more carefully. Maybe I can actually get hold of a few of the other people who did this and claim to have had success.

Real proof! I can't believe this! Probably not, I know. I'm sure I'll find something – some reflection or something to explain it. I'll examine the bathroom more carefully tomorrow when I'm sober.

Excitement doesn't even begin to cover it! To the internet!

October 9

Seriously needing sleep about now. I've been caught up in research all night. It's 8:30 and I'm supposed to be heading to class about now. Screw it. Not going today. Tried enhancing the video but I just don't have the equipment. I've got a friend from A/V still in high school – I'll check with him later. Maybe he knows how or where I can go to see the video better. I know their equipment got updated year before last so maybe he will have the stuff for it.

How can I let something get to me like this? Seriously, I'm really jumpy right now and there is no reasonable cause. Yeah, I had a scare. Nothing new, though. So annoying. It's time to get some rest. If my brain will shut up long enough to allow it. Keep going over the stories and checking my inbox for responses from the people I emailed last night. Sleep grants patience.

Explaining my being home to the parents wasn't fun. Got the old 'drop out and you're on your own' spiel again. I skip one day and they panic. I took the camcorder and tracked down my A/V buddy. He agreed to meet me after school. Three hours left. So here I sit in the café I used to have lunch at with Sarah. Thank God for free coffee refills.

I know it's stupid, but I keep seeing that face out of the corner of my eye – reflected in the windows. I didn't sleep very well, kept going over and over that ritual in the bathroom and every time she got closer. When I woke up I was shaking. Why am I so fixated with a childhood story when even the bigger, more serious stuff I've checked in to hasn't given me a single nightmare?

Seriously – this isn't funny. When I looked in the rear view mirror I saw her in the passenger seat of the car behind me. I turned to look and there was no passenger. I was still freaking out when I got back to the school. The enhanced video was still blurry due to the bad light. It's just not going to get clear and that is that. After that thing in the car – I don't think I want a better look.

Hopefully I can get some real sleep soon and this will fade into one of those bad memories you tell around camp fires when you're in your eighties or something.

Eyes... I saw her eyes. I don't think I can do this anymore. I need to get help. Can't believe I'm cracking so easily. I went to the bathroom when I got home and saw her in the shower stall. Watching me. Her face is beautiful... Supermodel type of beautiful but without makeup. She was wearing some kind of retro dress but that was all I could really tell. Her eyes wouldn't let me go – there was so much anger. Hunger.

Reliving that moment – I just want to run. I stumbled out of the bathroom as quick as I could, turned and ran. Mom yelled something as I got out the door but I couldn't hear. I couldn't think. Just had to run. I only have this journal because I hadn't taken my backpack off yet when I saw her. I can't go back there – can't do that again.

Every time I look in a mirror or even a window with light shining on it I see glimpses of her – and she's always a little closer. I saw her in a window I passed a minute ago – she's right behind me.

Sarah – I'm going to send this to you. I hope it gets there. She touched me. Oh, God – I can't explain. It was like my whole body was filled with liquid nitrogen for a moment... Something is wrong. I don't see her in mirrors anymore. I think she's in me... Can't believe I'm writing this down. I've always scoffed at possession but I don't feel right.

Head is starting to get fuzzy... I'm so scared. I'm giving this journal and a $20 to the first respectable person I find. I hope they believe me and send it to the right address. After that I'm heading to the hospital. They may send me to a psychiatrist – I just hope it really is all in my head.

* * *

Now I don't know what to do. Should I show this journal to her mother?

Obviously that's the right thing to do but it may make things worse. I see Evelyn's picture everywhere. Her mother has missing posters all over the place. There have been a couple people call but no sign of her by the time her mom gets there.

How should I handle this? She has me scared and I refuse to believe she is dead or possessed. I called all the hospitals in the area but none have her registered.

Over time the chances of finding her get smaller but I don't even know where to start.

Perhaps I should give this to the police... Not that they would take it seriously.

Evelyn wants my help – but what am I supposed to do?


End file.
